The TV Kid

Rating:
Summary: The Way I Don't Want To Be!
Review: Do you like TV? So did a boy named Lennie. Lennie is a boy that lives with his mom in a motel. He loved to watch TV and he loved to fall asleep and dream that he was on TV. In One of his daydreams, he is on a game show called "Give It A Spin" The host sends Lennie to a haunted house. He tells Lennie to always have an imaginary friend with him and he would be okay.
I liked The TV Kid because I like to watch TV and sometimes fall asleep, but I don't dream about being on TV. If the reader did like the book, I would go out and buy a different book by the same author. I would recommend this book for readers because it tells you how much TV you should watch and how much you shouldn't.

Rating:
Summary: I thought that "The TV Kid" was a pretty good book.
Review: I thought that "The TV Kid" was pretty good book overall. But I also thought that that the book was left on one spot too long. Maybe 2/4 of the book was left on the part where he was in the E.R. It was pretty exciting, and there was a good lesson in the end of the book.

Rating:
Summary: In my opinion, this was not a very interesting book.
Review: This book was not very interesting. I couldn't find a real plot in this book. The book has only 3 things to happen: The boy watches too much TV, he gets bitten by a snake, and he finally stops watching TV.

Rating:
Summary: Loved it, still love it...
Review: What a shame this book has gotten some bad reviews here--it happens to be one of my favorites!

I first read it at age 10 or so, and really liked it then. In fact, I kept my copy all these years (I'm now way more than 10!), and it sits on my shelf with other childhood "classics."

I appreciate the characterization of Lennie, a lonely boy who wishes he were on his favorite TV shows. His constant daydreaming is causing him problems at school, and his dangerous hobby of breaking into unoccupied summer cottages near his home leads to a life-threatening encounter with a snake. But the plot (boy meets snake) isn't really the issue here--this book is really a character study. Lennie is a good kid--well-meaning, but somewhat lazy. As a kid, I felt drawn to his predicament. Perhaps you will, too.

Does Lennie learn anything in The TV Kid? Yes (and it's not "too much TV is bad for you"). I think the other reviewers here have missed the point (it's not about the TV, people!). AND I think Byars' book is top-notch writing. Funny, touching, and exciting, too! Give this one a chance--it deserves it!

Rating:
Summary: Ech
Review: When I was in elementary school, Betsy Byars was one of my least favorite authors, and it's not hard to see why based on this book (admittedly not one of her best). The book doesn't even go anywhere-- I agree with one of the previous reviewers that it just goes from Kid Loves TV to Kid Gets Bit By Snake to Ending That Doesn't Resolve Anything At All. I'm pretty sure that she just forgot to resolve the plot-- or maybe that's just her writing style. Whatever.